Nick Barnett's contract

[Deputy Nutz]

what does Barnett have to do? how about make a tackle at the line of scrimmage. How about after 4 years in the league he will learn how to take on a block. If you are a casual fan, or a fan that looks at the box score on Monday morning then Barnett is great, but if you keep your eyes on him for a say, a series of defensive snaps, you begin to wonder about his playmaking ability.

Alot of you like to commend Grady Jackson, well either Grady played selfish and like crap, or Barnett was the tool. It can't be both ways.

[Green Bud Packer]

thanks for te update 0514.i remember brian noble not making many plays of negative yards until his 3rd or 4th year.there is still time for barnett but the clock is tickin.

[HarveyWallbangers]

what does Barnett have to do? how about make a tackle at the line of scrimmage. How about after 4 years in the league he will learn how to take on a block. If you are a casual fan, or a fan that looks at the box score on Monday morning then Barnett is great, but if you keep your eyes on him for a say, a series of defensive snaps, you begin to wonder about his playmaking ability.

Alot of you like to commend Grady Jackson, well either Grady played selfish and like crap, or Barnett was the tool. It can't be both ways.

I don't think this is entirely true. I think this was somewhat true his first year, and definitely true his second year, but last year he made many more plays at or near the line of scrimmage. Where's patler when you need him?

He'll never take on blocks well, but there are a lot of LBs in the league who don't--even big name guys. The guys that do are few and far between. Jim Bates scheme was set up to protect LBs from having to take on OL--with the understanding that LBs are far less effective when they have to take on OL.

[Deputy Nutz]

I agree with Barnett not being able to take on blocks well, and that he runs in a system where the defensive tackles need to defend him, but if there are still blockers getting into Barnett and driving him down the field, whose fault is it?

I wish someone had the stat for getting knocked on your ass by the fullback, because that is one category that Barnett would lead the league in.

I personally have no need for guys like Barnett and Urlacher and Ray Lewis if they can't perform because they simply can't take on a block. Lewis came out this spring and basicaly said as much when he told the org that he can't play in Baltimore if they don't have atleast two big bodies playing infront of him to take up all the blockers. Maybe I am old school, and think that even an average linebacker should have the technique to take on and shed a block in enough time to make a play before the running back gains more than 4 yard. Is taking on a block a lost art form for middle linebackers? What a crock of crap. Murphy makes a better shit stew than this garbage.

[Tony Oday]

That is every LB in the NFL!!!! cmon.

Barnett per Patler's research made most of his tackles at 1-3 yards. RIGHT where he is supposed to as a MLB.

[Green Bud Packer]

it would be interesting to see those numbers. how many were solo how many assisted junk like that.barnetts a good mlb maybe a little better than average but i think he'd be better as the mike. i'd still like to see the numbers cuz "most of his tackles" is a vague statement.

[Deputy Nutz]

That is every LB in the NFL!!!! cmon.

Barnett per Patler's research made most of his tackles at 1-3 yards. RIGHT where he is supposed to as a MLB.

Who is Patler? He doesn't exist, sorry.

[Rastak]

That is every LB in the NFL!!!! cmon.

Barnett per Patler's research made most of his tackles at 1-3 yards. RIGHT where he is supposed to as a MLB.

Who is Patler? He doesn't exist, sorry.

He meant Shamler......

[Patler]

Yes, I was Patler.
Yes, I reported Barnett's tackles as recorded in the game sheets based on yards from scrmmage.
Yes I analyzed his assisted tackles versus tackles.

No, I'm not going to repeat one bit of it.

[Rastak]

Yes, I was Patler.
Yes, I reported Barnett's tackles as recorded in the game sheets based on yards from scrmmage.
Yes I analyzed his assisted tackles versus tackles.

No, I'm not going to repeat one bit of it.

No need to, it was a work of art.

[Patler]

Yes, I was Patler.
Yes, I reported Barnett's tackles as recorded in the game sheets based on yards from scrmmage.
Yes I analyzed his assisted tackles versus tackles.

No, I'm not going to repeat one bit of it.

No need to, it was a work of art.

Thanks!

My only complaint about Barnett is that he doesn't make enough "game changing" or "momentum changing" plays. As a routine every down mlb he does fine, especially in Bates defense. He makes most tackles where you would expect him to, based on the play as it unfolds. The problem is he doesn't seem to have the knack to make the unusual play, reading, reacting or defeating a block to make the play where you don't expect it. That doesn't make him a bad linebacker, as some here suggest. It just means he is not a great linebacker.

Of course, the Packer's defense is filled with those types of players. Harris is about the only one who occassionally makes a momentum changing play, and even he is not big time in that area. For the most part, the DBs and LBs intercept the poorly thrown passes, or the tipped passes. They don't "make plays" to intercept. The defense doesn't get the big tackle for loss, sack, forced fumble, etc. It was evident last year in several of the close games when the defense couldn't come up with the plays that were needed to keep the game in check and give the offense another chance.

[mraynrand]

Barnett is a fair LB. He would probably start for at least half the teams out there, but he's not a consistent game changer (meaning he rarely makes a game changing play). Last year he had several chances to make plays in the backfield and missed tackles. He had interceptions in his paws and dropped the ball (Cleveland comes to mind). But the worst problem is he doesn't have that quick instinct to decide when to move to the running back, as opposed to 'riding out' the play. This flaw results in his making tackles downfield too often. It actually doesn't look all that bad, except when you compare him with more aggressive LBs. When you look at the good LBs, they can disrupt plays - even if they don't make the tackle, they force the issue and disrupt plays, allowing others to clean up. Even though he was a SS, and not a LB, the last guy the Packers had that really could do this was LeRoy Butler. Barnett is just so-so. He's certainly an upgrade over Bernardo Harris and aged Hardy Nickerson, but virtually every starter at MLB can make this claim. His speed is very good, and it allows him to be decent in pass coverage (only decent because even though he has the speed to stay with guys, he tends to get lost in space). Barnett will remain a 'serviceable' LB, and can remain a decent player with better players around him, but he's never going to be more than that. Upgrading shouldn't be all that difficult. My crystal ball sees him starting for Houston in a few seasons....

[Harlan Huckleby]

Barnett is a fair LB. He would probably start for at least half the teams out there

I suspect that every team in the NFL would start him, especially since he can play a couple positions.

[MadtownPacker]

Tru e about Barnett not being a game changing.

There's a guy that makes some game changing play on D. His name is Ahmad Carroll and he is gonna make evenyone STFU this season.

[wist43]

You guys know I hate Barnett, but I probably wouldn't have as much contempt for him if he were a 5th round pick, making half the salary; and, he weren't such a punk. But he was a 1st round pick - a wasted 1st rd pick IMO - and, he's a ginormous punk. I don't like his personality, and I hate the way he plays. The sooner he's a former Packer, the better.

Talentwise, he's average in coverage and abysmal against the run. He can't take on blocks, he gets washed away in trash, he consistently takes bad angles, he almost never hits the right gap, he's a drag down tackler, and he hits like a gnat trying to tackle a tank - in short, he has speed and nothing else... he has virtually no instinct for the game of football.